An airbag is an inflatable structure located in a vehicle that is provided with an inflation gas to cushion a vehicle occupant when the vehicle is involved in a crash of sufficient severity that the deployment of the airbag is deemed necessary. Airbags are most often made of fabric usually woven nylon or polyester; plastic film airbags has been proposed. An inflation gas may be provided by a device that burns a solid substance to generate the inflation gas, or heats gas stored in the inflator, whereby the hot inflation gas could damage the fabric of the airbag or the threads with which the airbag is stitched together. The potential problem is especially bothersome in the case of a side curtain airbag because of the large volume of gas required to inflate such a large device and that a side curtain airbag is often required to remain inflated for a longer time than airbags at other locations in a vehicle during a rollover of the vehicle. Another means employed for protecting the airbag fabric from excessively hot inflation gas is to provide a metal shield as a part of the inflator, but this can be costly and add weight to an airbag assembly. One means that has been employed for protecting the airbag fabric from excessively hot inflation gas is to provide an extra layer or layers of fabric folded onto itself and attached to the airbag fabric at a seam of the airbag fabric, but this additional folded fabric especially when it becomes distorted can impair the placement of a portion of an inflator within the layers of fabric. This added fabric might even disrupt the flow of inflation gas into the airbag. What is needed is a lightweight and effective fabric heat shield that retains a desired shape prior to and during the process of mating a portion of an inflator with the airbag and heat shield.